Forum: Keep EMAS messages for current road conditions and clear road-safety tips
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The messages displayed on the Expressway Monitoring and Advisory System (EMAS) along expressways deserve a rethink. Lately, I have noticed messages that appear to stray from their primary purpose.
These signs should keep motorists informed of road conditions and incidents, while promoting safer driving and discouraging dangerous or inconsiderate behaviour.
Messages such as “Wet roads ahead, drive slowly”, “Turn on your headlights”, “Road diversions ahead” and reminders of heavier penalties for speeding are therefore more appropriate uses of this limited space.
The recent lowering of the threshold for suspending a driving licence to 18 demerit points is also a timely reminder of the consequences of irresponsible driving, especially speeding, which remains rampant. Such measures, communicated effectively, can help reinforce road discipline.
By contrast, lengthy messages like the one reminding a few errant foreign motorists to pay Vehicle Entry Permit fines on time are distracting and should not take up valuable space that could be used better.
Similarly, the lengthy message urging motorcyclists to switch to anti-lock braking systems (ABS) could be reconsidered. While ABS is a useful safety feature, technology alone cannot prevent accidents. Like better tyres, it has its limitations.
Safe riding habits, including maintaining a safe following distance, travelling at a safe speed according to the condition of the road rather than the maximum allowable, remain essential.
If we are serious about reducing road fatalities involving motorcyclists, which account for 53% of all road fatalities, greater emphasis must be placed on cultivating safe riding habits.
Finally, messages should be easy to understand. A slogan containing words like “Gear up” may sound catchy to its originator, but may not convey its intended meaning to all motorists. “Get home safely” is simpler, more direct and better understood in the Singapore context.
EMAS signs are an important channel for communicating with motorists. Their limited space should be reserved mainly for timely road information and clear and effective road-safety messages.
Ho San Cheow